It is well known in the art to flush engine coolant systems, with U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,045, entitled ENGINE COOLANT CHANGING APPARATUS, issued to Akazawa an Nov. 12, 1996 (“Akazawa”), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. It is also watt known in the art to flush old oil and carbonaceous deposits and sludge and the like from inside of the engine causing, using flushing equipment similar to that disclosed in the applicant's co-pending application and in the Akazawa, United States patents such as those assigned to EnviroLution, Inc., i.e., U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,161, entitled CLOG RESISTANT PAN ADAPTER, issued to Abbruzze on Nov. 7, 2000 (“Abbruzze”); U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,205, entitled ADAPTER SYSTEM FOR ENGINE FLUSHING APPARATUS, issued to Grigorian, et al. on Jul. 18, 2000 (“Grigorian V”); U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,798, entitled OIL PAN DRAIN PORT ADAPTER SYSTEM FOR ENGINE FLUSHING APPARATUS, issued to Grigorian, et al. on Mar. 28, 2000 (Grigorian IV); U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,213, entitled ADAPTER SYSTEM FOR ENGINE FLUSHING APPARATUS, issued to Grigorian, et al. on Jul. 13, 1999 (“Grigorian III”); U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,382, entitled OIL PAN DRAIN PORT ADAPTER SYSSTEM FOR ENGINE FLUSHING APPARATUS, issued to Grigorian, et al. on Sep. 29, 1998 (Grigorian II″); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,310, entitled ADAPTER SYSTEM FOR ENGINE FLUSHING APPARATUS, issued to Grigorian, et al. on Aug. 11, 1998 (“Grigorian I”), and issued to Robert Flynn, i.e., U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,947, entitled ENGINE OIL CLEANING SYSTEM, issued to Flynn on Oct. 9, 2001 (“(Flynn III”), U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,889, entitled ENGINE LUBRICATION CLEANING SYSTEM, issued to Flynn, et al. on Jul. 24, 2001 (“Flynn II”) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,765, entitled ENGINE CONDITIONING APPARATUS AND METHOD, issued to Flynn, et al. on Nov. 10, 1998 (“Flynn I”), and other patents. e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,388, entitled ENGINE FLUSHING APPARATUS, issued to Edmiston, et al. on Nov. 20, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,781, entitled APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR FLUSHING AND CLEANING OIL STRAINER, CRANKCASE AND OTHER COMPONENTS OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, issued to Robert, et al. on Oct. 22, 1996 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,062, entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FLUID EXCHANGE AND INTERNAL SYSTEM FLUSHING, issued to Chen on Jan. 9, 1996, the disclosures of each of the above patent being hereby incorporated by reference, are examples.
For Example, Abbruzze diuscloses:                Referring to FIG. 1, an engine flushing apparatus 20 for flushing the internal lubrication system of an internal combustion engine 22 includes a conduit or hose 24 connecting the fluid output from the flushing apparatus to the engine by an oil filter port adapter assembly 26, and a second conduit or hose 28 returning flushing fluid to the flushing apparatus by means of an oil pan drain port adapter assembly 30 that is connected to the oil pan drain port of the engine. (Col. 3, lines 52-60)        
In addition, notes Abruzze:                An oil pump 50 located within the oil pan interior chamber 37 is connected by a fluid passage 52 to an oil filter port 54. In normal engine operation a conventional oil filter, not illustrated, is connected at this port. Engine oil is pumped by a pump 50 from the oil pan interior chamber 37 via conduit 52 through the filter, exits the filter and flows via conduits 46, 42 and 44 into the engine, allowing the filter to remove particulate material and other impurities that may be contained in the oil before reaching crankshaft 40 and other engine components. (Col. 4, lines 30-39)        
Grigorian V discloses:                The adapter assemblies for an engine flushing system includes an oil filter port adapter assembly and an oil drain plug port adapter assembly for connection between an engine flushing apparatus and the lubrication system of an internal combustion engine. (Abstract)        
Grigorian V also discloses:                a novel adapter system for use in such apparatus, enabling the flushing apparatus to be connected to the oil drain pan and/or lubricating system of a large variety of internal combustion engines. (Col. 1, lines 12-15)        
Also, according to Grigorian V:                Since the size and type of oil filter port and oil pan drain port differs from automobile manufacturer to manufacturer and even amongst different models or model year of a single auto manufacturer, the prior flushing apparatus includes a necessary set of associated adapters to permit connection of the conduits to the respective oil filter and drain plug ports of the vast majority of automobile engines.        . . .        It has been found that threaded connections between filter port adapters and an engine filter port can lock or seize up when the threaded connections of a filter port universal coupling member and filter port adapter work against each other during removal from an engine filter port, which can damage the threaded connections of the filter port adapters, and can make removal and disassembly of the flushing apparatus difficult and time consuming. (Col. 1, lines 60-Col. 2, line 24)        
Further according to Grigorian V:                The present invention accordingly provides for a flushing apparatus for internally cleaning internal combustion engines. The flushing apparatus includes an adapter system with an oil filter port adapter assembly and an oil drain plug port adapter assembly. For a given engine a selected oil filter port adapter assembly couples the fluid conduit from the flushing apparatus to the oil filter port on the engine block. In one presently preferred embodiment, the invention provides for an improved engine flushing system for circulating flushing fluid through an internal combustion engine to clean the internal combustion engine, the engine being of the type containing an engine block, an oil filter port on the engine block and an oil drain pan having an oil drain plug port. The engine flushing system typically includes a flushing apparatus for delivering a volume of flushing fluid and receiving used flushing fluid, a first conduit for conducting flushing fluid from the flushing apparatus to the oil filter port, and second conduit for conducting flushing fluid from the oil drain plug port to the flushing apparatus. An oil filter port adapter assembly is provided for connecting the first conduit to the oil filter port, and the oil filter port adapter assembly preferably includes a plurality of adapter members. In a currently preferred aspect of the invention, the plurality of adapter members of the adapter assembly are mated together with a low tolerance sliding fit, and indexed by indexing pins with a low tolerance sliding fit into the adapter pieces, to provide for a secure connection between the plurality of adapter members without allowing the connection between the adapter members to seize up. (Col. 2, line 53-Col. 4, line 14)        
Similar systems are disclosed in Grigorian IV, II, II and I. A similar system is disclosed in Flynn II and III. Flynn II discloses:                An engine oil system cleaning apparatus has a cleaning solution delivery line connected by an adapter to a running engine, and an exit line and a return line from the engine connected at an adapter at the engine oil pan. (Abstract)        In preparation for an engine cleaning operation, the engine oil filter is removed from its threaded opening and a filter adapter 12 is threadedly mounted in the engine oil filter opening; and an oil pan adapter 14 is threadedly mounted in the oil pan drain plug opening and has a passage therethrough for outward passage of cleaning fluid, as shown in lower portion of FIG. 1. A first oil filter adapter 12 has two passages therethrough, one connected with a solution delivery line for inflow of solution to the engine interior, and a second passage connected with the engine oil pan and with line 31 for outflow of cleaning solution helped by the engine oil pump. The oil filter adapter may be provided in a plurality of thread sizes to accommodate a variety of openings and thread sizes of various automobile manufacturers. (Col. 2, lines 23-36)        
Flynn II discloses:                Preparatory to the cleaning operation, an engine oil filter of the engine to be cleaned is removed and an adapter 24 is threadedly mounted in the threaded oil filter opening.        Some engines utilize a canister-type adapter to be fitted into an oil filter housing. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, adapter 24 or 49 has two passages, one for inflow of cleaning solution to an engine interior, and the other for the outflow of the cleaning solution. Canister-type oil filter adapters are provided in a variety of openings and thread sizes. Adapters may be provided in a variety of thread sizes, and are typically color-coded to indicate respective openings and thread sizes of various automobile manufacturers.        In contrast with many prior art cleaning systems, wherein used or dirty engine oil is removed prior to cleaning operations, according to the invention, the used engine oil is preferably not drained prior to a cleaning operation.        The engine oil pump is utilized to pump oil and cleaning solution mixture throughout the engine, thus eliminating any need for a remote-mounted separate pump, as required in many prior systems. (Col 2, lines 3-22)        
Similarly Edmiston discloses:                The inlet conduit is adapted for connection to the oil fill opening of the engine. An outlet conduit carries solution away from the engine. The outlet conduit is connected to the oil drain opening of the engine. A transport cart carries the pump, solution and waste solution tanks. (Abstract)        
Further notes Edmiston:                As shown in FIG. 3, an inlet adapter 23 is connected to the oil fill opening of the engine. The inlet adapter is mounted on the second end of the inlet conduit. The inlet adapter comprises a cap 24 with an aperture 25 therethrough. The cap comprises a structure similar to a closure cap for closing the oil fill opening of the engine. A valve 26 is in fluid communication with the inlet conduit for selectively blocking flow of solution through the inlet conduit. The valve is located near the second end of the inlet conduit. (Col. 3, lines 33-43)        
Robert discloses:                Apparatus and methods for flushing and cleaning the oil strainer and crankcase of an internal combustion engine of a type having a removable full-flow oil filter. The oil filter is temporarily replaced with a cartridge which has at least one passage therethrough which will communicate with the discharge side of the engine oil pump but does not communicate with the normal outflow port of the filter apparatus. A second passage therethrough may communicate with the outflow port of the filter system but does not communicate with the discharge of the oil pump. In a preferred method, the inlet of the first passage may be connected to a source of pressurized fluid to force the fluid, in a direction opposite to normal flow, through the passage, the oil pump and the oil strainer to agitate and flush contaminants in the oil strainer and crankcase. The pressurized fluid and contaminants are drained from the crankcase after which the cartridge is removed, a new oil filter installed and clean oil added to the engine. (Abstract)        
Further notes Robert:                In FIG. 2, the oil filter system 4 and oil filter boss 10 is illustrated. However, the spin-on type oil filter 11 has been removed and replaced with a special reverse flush cartridge 20 which forms a portion of the present invention. The cartridge 20 is preferably cylindrical in shape and has the general appearance of a spin-on type oil filter. It would be provided with a central threaded hole 21 threadedly engageable with a threaded pipe portion 22 which normally depends downwardly from the filter boss 10 to which spin-on type oil filters are typically attached. The pipe 22 provides an outflow port 13 in communication with the oil distribution system of the moving parts of the engine E through the piping 14. An annular seal 23 around this threaded connection and an annular seal 24 around the upper periphery of the cartridge 20 seals the cartridge 20 to the filter boss 10 as it is threadedly connected to the pipe 22 by twisting or rotating the cylinder 20. Hand tightening should be sufficient to provide an adequate seal. An annular recessed area 25 surrounding the threaded pipe 22 is in fluid communication with inflow port 9 and piping 8 which is connected to the discharge of oil pump 3 (see FIG. 1).        The special reverse flush cartridge 20 has at least one passage 30 therethrough having an inlet 31 and an outlet 32 which communicates with inflow port 9 but does not communicate with outflow port 13. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, there is also another passage 35 therethrough which has an inlet 36 and an outlet 37 which may also communicate with the inflow port 9 and discharge piping 8 but does not communicate with outflow port 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the inlet 31 may be temporarily closed by a removable plug 38. Inlet 36 is shown with an air valve stem 39. (Col 4, line 58-Col. 5, line 22)        
All of these systems of the prior art suffer from at least one common defect. The fact that they employ an adapter that is put in place of the oil filter for the automobile engine and/or the crank case drain, means that the flushing system needs to have and the operator of the flushing system needs to carry around a relatively large set of different adapters for different makes and models of cars, gasoline and diesel engines and the like. There exists, therefore a need for a flushing system that is simpler and easier to operate. In addtion there exists a need or a system that facilitates replacing the oil in the engine after the slushing has occurred, particularly if synthetic oil is to be used, which requires a complete flush before the introduction of the synthetic oil, which cannot be mixed with regular oil or the sludge and other carbonacious materials left behind inside of the engine after use with regular oil, which the flushing system serves to flush from inside of the engine. Furthermore, removal of tiny pieces of metal debris, e.g., from wear on the engine parts, which pieces are small enough to pass through the regular engine oil filter, but still capable of damaging or clogging engine parts is also desirable as a part of the flushing process according to an embodiment of the present invention.